Death and Immortality
by gorgeousgossipgirl
Summary: Death and Immortality. They are complete opposites. Just like the paths Luke and Thalia took. He was dead. She was alive. One-shot.


Death. What exactly about it made everything hurt so bad? Was it the thought that they were gone forever, never to be seen again? Or was it just the plain reluctance of the human mind to let go, until it was forcefully ripped away? Thalia Grace wasn't sure. But she was sure about one thing.

He was gone.

Dead. He was taken away from her by death. And as much as she wanted to just go after him, she couldn't.

She was alive. He was dead.

She was undying, unless killed in battle. He was killed.

When she was told that he was gone, a whirlwind of emotions overtook her. Anger, pain, peace, and the one that stood out most, hurt. She was hurt that he was gone.

When she saw the body, she cried like there was no tomorrow. She gripped his hand and stared at the face, the face she had come to love, the face that had been her constant companion, through the sunny days and the stormy nights. His face was emotionless, eyes closed. She knew that she would never be able to see those beautiful sapphire eyes again, those eyes that often seemed to stare right through you. The eyes that she had grown to love. So what if his sapphire eyes were broken? So what if he often looked like he wanted to prove anything? He was still hers; he was still her love.

She loved him. She's in love with him. Hades, she still loves him. She might as well get kicked out of the Hunters for harboring these feelings, but she couldn't as well love a dead man. All she could do while he lay there was touch his pale, cold skin, his scar, and tell him what she felt for him, feelings she never got to tell him. She hoped with all her heart that he could hear these words, but she knew better. With a choking sob, a simple gesture of closing her eyes to feel the moment, she was taken back.

She was twelve again, he was fourteen. He was still alive, and they were on the run again. He was there by her side as together, they battled all the monsters that attacked them; as they stargazed after escaping from the monsters. She saw him shake his head and vow to protect her and Annabeth. She wanted to scream out to her younger self, say "No! Don't accept the promise! You'll only get hurt!" But she couldn't. It had been done. With a heavy heart, she watched her younger self nod eagerly and hug him.

With a gasp, she was back in the present time, staring at the corpse of the man she loved. She let her tears trickle down like a waterfall, as she thought about all his adventures, the way he betrayed them, and the great sacrifice he made that cost him his life. She looked back at her companions in the room: a hunter, Percy, and Annabeth, now sixteen, and trying to stop herself from crying. She looked back at his now peaceful face, allowed herself one last tear to shed and stood up.

She would do her hunting for him.

She would never forget all her fun days with him.

She promised the dead body one thing: that he would always have a place in her heart.

And she would never forget him.

* * *

Immortality. What made it appeal to people? Was it the fact that they would never die; they would live forever and see everything, and experience everything? Or was it that they lived forever and enjoyed seeing their loved ones die? Why did people always think of immortality as a gift, not a curse? Luke Castellan never thought about it. But there was one thing he constantly thought about.

One person, to be exact.

Her.

Here he was, dead already, in the Underworld, and yet all he could think about was her.

The way she smiled, the way she seemed to know which side she was on is the good side. Her exuberant personality, her shocking electric blue eyes that often left him at a loss of words.

He hadn't wanted to die. He wanted to have a second chance with her. He had hesistated with the knife, but he knew that it was the right choice. It was the right choice to commit suicide.

And even if he hadn't done that, what second chance could he have with her? She was immortal, for Zeus' sake. And she joined the Hunters, a seemingly all-girls club who had a vow not to have anymore relations with guys.

How sexist was that?

Would he blame himself for stabbing himself, when at the time it looked like the best option? After all, he remembered, After all she walked away first. She joined the hunters. And when he stabbed himself, he knew he had nothing to live for. She made her choice, and walked away. He just followed her example, except he walked in the opposite way.

Now, it ended up that she was immortal, and he was dead.

She only joined the Hunters to stop aging, he thought. She didn't want to be the one in the prophecy.

But still, what he would give to see her eyes once more, her dark hair. Oh, what he would give to see her smile and not even call him a traitor. To have everything back to the way

But he had nothing left to give. He gave away every piece of himself.

When he joined Kronos, he gave a piece of himself away.

When he poisoned her tree, he gave another piece away.

When he had the will to steal the Golden Fleece, he gave another piece of himself.

When he agreed to host Kronos, another piece was given.

When Annabeth refused to run away with him, another piece was gone.

When he died, he gave away the last piece.

So now, he had nothing left to give.

He wanted at least to know her reaction when she saw him dead. Was she estatic, happy that it was finally over? Or was she hurt, crying like she had just lost a dear friend, although that dear friend happened to betray her? He wanted to see her reaction for himself. He would've understood if she was happy. But if she was hurt....

She was his love. He didn't care if she couldn't love back. She probably didn't, anyway. But to him, she was his world. She was his love. So who cared if her electric blue eyes often looked angry, like a thunderstorm about to erupt? Who cared if she seemed tough on the outside, but she was a very vulnerable girl on the inside? She was still his love.

He loved her. He loved her with all her heart, and yet he never got to tell her. She wasn't there when he was dying. And he had hoped, oh, he had hoped so much...

But it was too late. He had only mere minutes left when he spoke with Annabeth, Percy, and Grover. And once he was done sharing an apology with Percy, he had died. It seemed sad, but it was true. He didn't get to see his love in the last few minutes of his life. He closed his eyes, as he tried to remember her face. But he was taken back.

He was fourteen again, she was twelve, and Annabeth was seven. She was beside him as they slept, as they contemplated on getting to camp Half-Blood. She was there when they looked at the stars and the moon. He remembered when she was turned into a tree. She was caked with blood and sweat, and yet she fought bravely.

He opened his eyes and he was back in the Underworld again. He would never forget her. She would always be the one of the last and the happiest memories of his life. She would be forever cherished in his heart.


End file.
